Engine starter



y 194.1- M. P. WHITNEY 2,250,881

ENGINE STARTER Filed Feb 2a, 1958 Patented July 29, 1941 ENGINE STARTER Maurice 1. Whitney, Elmira, N. Y., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Bendix Aviation Corporation, South Bend, lndi, a corporation of Delv, d

aware Application February e6. 1938, Serial No. 192,825

The present invention relates to engine starters 3 Claims.

and more particularly to means for yieldably connecting a starting motor to a, member of an engine to be started.

) It is an object of the present invention to provide an engine starter drive incorporating a. novel form of cushioning and silencing'means for the engine-driven member.

It is another object to provide such a device in which anovel form of frictional coupling device is used for connecting the engine-driven member to itsmount. l

A further object is to provide such a device in which the coupling means is readily adjustable to vary its torque capacity.

It is another object to provide such a device in which the coupling units are of simple and inexpensive construction, easy to install and replace.

Further objects andadvantages will be. apparent from the following description taken in'connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. -1 is a starter gearing embodying a preferred form of 4 the present invention; and

Fig. 2 is a detail in perspective of certain of the parts of applicant's novel drive, shown in disassembled relation.

- In Fig. 1 of the drawing,there is illustrated a commercial form of starter drive embodying a pinion I threaded on a screw shaft 2 and adapted to be driven from a power shaft 3 by means including a coiled spring 4. Thepinion l is arranged to engage and drive a ring gear 5 mounted on an engine-driven member 6 such as a; flywheel.

According to the present invention, the ring gear .5 is loosely mounted on a bearing seat 1' formed on the periphery of the flywheel 6 and defined by a lateral flange 8, and means are provided for yieldably and frlctionally connecting the ring gear to the flywheel, As here shown,

recesses 9 are formed in the periphery of the flywheel -at suitably spaced intervals, and cylindri cal blocks H of elastically deformable material such as rubber having a high coeflicient of friction, are placed in said recesses in engagement with the inner periphery of the ring gear 5. Adjustable means for compressing the rings ll iaterally of the flywheel so as to expand them radially into frictional engagement with the ring side elevation partly in section of be formed as separate expanding elements to assist the clamping action of the rubber blocks II. In assembling this structure, the ring gear 5 is first placed on the flywheel 6, the blocks II are then inserted and the bolts l2 tightened up, until an adequate frictional drive-is established between the ring gear and flywheel. When the drive is operated, the pinion l is caused to auto-- Although but one form of the invention has been shown and described in detail, it will be understood that other embodiments are possible and that various changes may be made in the design and arrangements of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the claims appended hereto. I

What is claimed is: 1. In an engine starter drive, a ring gear, an engine member having a peripheral seat on which the ring gear is rotatably mounted, and having a plurality of recesses in said seat, blocks of elastic material having a high coefllcient of friction heated in said recesses and engaging the interior blocks laterally of the engine member within the recesses to cause them to expand radially of the engine member and thereby increase the fricgear, are provided in the formof bolts l2 ,tra-.

versing the rubber blocks H and threaded as shown at l3 in the flywheel 6. Thebolts. II are provided with conical heads ll adapted to expand the interior of the blocks I l.

' Conical washers I5 are preferably interposed between the heads H of bolts l2 and the interior of the rubber blocks l I, and conical protuberances [8 may be formed on the surface of the flywheel where the bolts I! are threadedtherein, or may tional engagement thereof with the interior of the ring'gear.

2. In an engine starter, a ring gear, an engine flywheel having a peripheral bearing" on which said ringgear is rotatably mounted, said flywheel 7 having recesses spaced about its periphery, elastic frictional elements seated in said recesses and bearing on the interior :of the ring gear, and means traversing the frictional elements for compressing said elements laterally of the flywheel to expand them radially against the interior 0 the ring gear.

.3. In an engine'starter, a ring gear, an engine flywheel having a peripheral bearing on which said ring 'gear'isrotatably mounted, said flywheel having recesses spaced about its periphery, elastic cylindrical elements seated in said recesses and bearing frictionally on the interio'r'oi the ring gear, and adjustable members traversing said cylindrical elements laterally of the flywheel and having expanding means operable to force the cylindrical elements against the interior of the ring gear. 

